Coin separators



May 5,1959 M. P. HAVERSTICK 2,885,050 COIN SEPARATORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 21, 1953 INVENTOR.

MERRAL P. HAl/ERST/CK ATTORNEY May 5, 1959 M. P. HAVERSTICK 2,835,050

COIN SEPARATORS Filed Aug. 21, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 47 45 IN VEN TOR.

. FIG 8 MERRAL HAVERST/CK ATTORMEY United States COIN SEPARATORS Merral P. Havel-stick, St. Louis, Mo., assignor, by mesne assignments, to National Rejectors, Inc., a corporation of Missouri Application August 21, 1953, Serial No. 375,631

18 Claims. (Cl. 194-9) This invention relates to improvements in coin separators. More particularly this invention relates to improvements in control devices used with coin separators.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved control device for use with coin separators.

Coin separators are frequently used in conjunction with electric switches, and those electric switches have actuators which are moved by coins passing through or from the coin separators; the coin separators rejecting spurious coins and permitting authentic coins to strike the actuators of the switches. In some instances, it is desirable to have each coin passing through a coin passageway actuate a switch adjacent that passageway, but in other instances it is desirable that two or more coins pass through the passageway before the switch is actuated. The present invention provides a counting device which will count a desired number of coins passing through a passageway and will thereafter actuate a switch adjacent that passageway. That counting device is simple but accurate and will assure precise counting of the coins passing through the passageway. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a counting device which can accurately count the coins passing through a passageway and can actuate a switch in accordance with that count.

The counting device provided by the present invention has a camming surface on it and has a number of coinintercepting surfaces on it. The coin-intercepting surfaces extend into the passageway and will be moved by coins passing through that passageway; and the number of coin-intercepting surfaces per camming surface will determine the number of coins that will be counted for each actuation of the switch. Where the counting device has two coin-intercepting surfaces per cam, a coin striking one of those coin-intercepting surfaces will move the counting device but the camming surface thereon will not actuate the switch; it requiring a second coin to strike the second coin-intercepting surface before the camming surface can actuate the switch. Where the counting device is to count three coins before the switch is actuated, the counting device will have three coin-intercepting surfaces per cam; and where the counting device is to count four coins before the switch is actuated, the counting device will have four coin-intercepting surfaces per camming surface. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a counting device which has a plurality of coinintercepting surfaces for each camming surface.

It is important that any counting device used with coins be able to resist over-shooting. In the absence of resistance. to over-shooting, the counting device could count more than the proper number of coins, and thus enable a vending machine to deliver a product for less than the prescribed price. The counting device provided by the present invention is kept from over-shooting and thus assures a precise and accurate count. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a counting 2,885,050 Patented May 5, 9

device for use with coin separators which will not overshoot.

The counting device provided by the present invention has a number of changes of surface, as for example, a number of openings therethrough. The actuator of the switch will be in register with those changes of surface and will be biased toward those changes of surface, and the actuator will enter those changes of surface and hold the counting device against over-shooting. The actuator will also have an inclined coin-engaging surface which will react to the passage of coins through the passageway to lift the first said portion of the actuator out of engagement with the changes of surface of the counting device. This will enable the coin to move the counting device; but as soon as the coin has passed out of engagement with the inclined portion of the actuator, the first said portion of the actuator will again move into engagement with the changes of surface on the counting device and prevent over-shooting. In this way, the actuator will permit just one step in the movement of the counting device for each coin that passes such device. Thus, the actuator and counting device positively assure precise counting of the coins. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a counting device with a plurality of changes of surface and to provide an actuator with one portion that can engage the changes of surface of the counting device and with an inclined coin-receiving surface that can be moved by coins to move the first said portion of the actuator out of engagement with the changes of surface on the counting device.

In the operation of vending machines which employ coin separators, it is frequently desirable to reject coins after the proper number of coins has been inserted. The present invention assures this rejection of coins by providing a runway in the coin separator which has a movable portion. Once the proper number of coins has passed along this runway and has actuated the counter so that it can close the switch controlling the movable portion of the runway, the movable runway portion is moved away and additional coins Will fall to the rejected coin chute. In this way, the present invention assures proper counting of the coins inserted in the coin separator and will accept only the desired number of coins; directing further coins toward the coin reject chute. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a coin separator with a runway that has a movable portion and which has a counter-actuated switch to cause movement of the movable portion of the runway after the proper number of coins has been counted, thereby securing the rejection of additional coins.

In some prior coin separators, stops have been introduced into coin passageways to deflect coins toward the rejected coin chute, and in many such coin separators those stops are very useful. However, the use of a runway with a removable portion is more desirable in some cases than is the use of stops because it eliminates all need of a coin passageway with laterally-extended diverging branches and it avoids the need of having the coin fall through the air prior to its being rejected. In the prior coin separators the stop had to be set adjacent a coin passageway with laterally-extended diverging branches and had to act to block off one branch and force the coin. to go into the other branch, or the stop had to be disposed adjacent an area where the coin was moving through the air. In the absence of these structural provisions, the introduction of a stop into the passageway of a coin separator can cause jamming and blocking of that passageway. By having a portion of the runway for the passageway removable, the present invention obviates the need of the passageway with laterally-extended diverging branches and obviates the need of having the coin in midi air. Instead, the runway fully supports coins in the passageway until the desired number of coins has been counted, and thereafter the runway permits the coins to fall directly downwardly into the rejected coin chute, as by causing the movable portion of therunway to move out of the passageway. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a coin separator which has a runway with a portion that is movable out of the passageway to permit coins to fall directly to the rejected coin chute.

Other and further objects and advantages of the pres ent invention should become apparent from an examination of the drawing and accompanying description.

In the drawing and accompanying description :1 preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and described but it is to be understood that the drawing and accompanying description are for the purpose of illustration only and do not limit the invention and that the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a part of a coin separator and a counting device used therewith,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a cam used in the counting device of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the counting device of Fig. 1, and it is taken along the broken plane indicated by the line 33 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the counting device of Fig. l, and it is taken along the broken plane indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. l, and it shows the actuator of the switch as it has been moved by a coin, V

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of another form 0 cam used with the counting device of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of still another cam that is used with the counting device of Fig. 1,

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of the portion of the coin separator of Fig. l with the slug rejector removed,

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a circuit with which the coin separator and counting device of Figs. 1 and 7 can be used, and

Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of another such circuit.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral 10 denotes a frame which can receive the slug rejector and the other component parts of the coin separator and counting device provided by the present invention. The frame 10 has a flange 12 at the left hand side thereof and has a flange 14 at the right hand side thereof; the frame being generally U-shaped in plan. Two slots 16 are provided in the frame 10; those slots being in the flanges 12 and 14 of that frame. The slots 16 will receive pins on a slug rejector 20. This slug rejector can be of the type shown and described in my copending application Serial Number 370,456 which was filed July 29, 1953 for Coin Separators. Such a slug rejector can receive a plurality of coins of different denominations and can separate those coins and direct one denomination of coin to a cradle 22 that rotates about a pivot 21. A sleeve 24 is disposed adjacent the cradle 22 and a cylindrical permanent magnet 26 can be held in the sleeve 24 by any suitable means, such as a set screw. The pivot 21, the cradle 22, the sleeve 24 and the magnet 26 of the present invention correspond to the pivot 160, the cradle 162, the sleeve 168 and the magnet 170 shown and described in the said application.

The cradle 22 will receive a coin, as for example a United States penny, and will respond to the weight of that coin to rotate and deliver that coin to a runway. The runway has a stationary portion 28 and a movable portion 32 which is a flange on the movable arm 30. This arm is connected to the armature 34 of an electroresponsive device 36, as for example an electromagnet. The arm 30 is secured to the armature 34 by a screw 38 which will permit the arm 30 to be rotated relative to it and relative to the armature 34. The rotation of the arm 30 relative to the armature 34 is desirable to free the slug rejector 20 for separation from the frame 10. The normal position of the arm 30 is shown in Fig. 1, and

the rotated position of the arm 30 is shown in Fig. 7. A helical spring 40 is connected to the end of the armature 34 and will apply a downwardly directed force to that armature, and that force will tend to pull the movable portion 32 of the runway out of the passageway. However, the electro-responsive device 36 can easily apply a sufficiently strong force to the armature 34 to overcome the force of the spring 40 and to hold the movable portion 32 of the runway in the passageway.

A subframe 39 is fixedly mounted on the frame 10, and that subframe supports the electro-responsive device 36. The subframe 39 also supports a rejected coin chute 42 directly below the cradle 22. When the movable portion 32 of the runway is withdrawn from the coin passageway, coins that are delivered by the cradle 22 will fall down into the rejected coin chute 42 as indicated by the dashed vertical line at the left of Fig. 1. However, when the electro-responsive device 36 is energized and is thus holding the movable portion 32 of the runway in the coin passageway, coins delivered by the cradle 22 will gravitate along the movable and stationary portions 32 and 28 of the runway to an accepted coin chute 58 supported on the subframe 39. The path of such a coin is indicated by the dashed line extending through the coin passageway to and through the accepted coin chute 58.

A bracket 44 is securedto the subframe 39 by screws and that bracket supports a switch 46. This switch may be of the type shown and described in my copending application Serial Number 235,785 which was filed on July 9, 1951 for Coin Separators; that switch being shown as switch 68. The switch 46 has a terminal 45 and a terminal 47. The third terminal of the switch 46 is not used in the circuit provided by the present invention and is not numbered. The terminal 45 and the terminal 47 are comparable to the terminals 86 and 96 in the said switch 68 of the second said application. The switch 46 has an actuator that is provided with an elongated straight portion 48, a reentrant portion 50 that is contiguous with the elongated straight portion 48, a transversely directed portion 52 that is contiguous with the reentrant portion 50, an inwardly directed portion 54 that is contiguous with the transversely directed portion, and an inclined coin-receiving portion 56 that is contiguous with the inwardly directed portion 54. The accepted coin chute 58 'has a slot 60 in one wall thereof and the inclined coinreceiving portion 56 of the actuator of switch 46 and the inwardly directed portion 54 of that actuator extend through the slot 60 and into the passageway 58. However, a coin moving through the passageway 58 will engage the inclined portion 56 of that actuator and freely move it out of the passageway. However, the movement of the inclined portion 56 of the actuator out of the passageway 58 will not cause a shifting of the contacts of the switch 46; a greater movement of that actuator being required to effect shifting of those contacts.

A pivot 62 is mounted on the subframe 39, and a cam 64 is rotatably mounted on that pivot. The cam 64 has a hub 66 which surrounds and is held by the pivot 62. The cam 64 has two camming surfaces 68 formed thereon, and each of those camming surfaces is inclined to the axis of the hub. The camming surfaces are the front faces of generally triangular prisms that extend outwardly from the hub 66. The camming surfaces 68 extend upwardly from the flat base of the cam 64, and that base has a number of coin-intercepting surfaces 70 thereon. These coin-intercepting surfaces 70 will extend into the passageway 58, as shown particularly in Fig. 1. The periphery of the cam 64 is concave between the coinintercepting surfaces 70 to accommodate the convex peripheries of coins passing through the passageway 58. A number of changes of surface, as for example openings 72, are provided in the cam 64. These changes of surface are adjacent the coin-intercepting surfaces 70 and will receive the reentrant portion 50 of the actuator of the switch 46. The actuator of the switch will be biased into the, position shown in Fig. 3, and in that position the reentrant portion 50 of the actuator will be disposed within one of the openings 7.2 of the cam 64. The positioning of the reentrant portion 50 of the actuator in the changes of surface 72 will prevent accidental movement of the cam 64 and will also prevent over-shooting of that cam. However, when a coin strikes the inclined surface 56 of the actuator and moves that inclined surface out of the coin passageway 58, the reentrant portion 50 of that actuator will be raised out of the path of the changes of surface 72. This will enable a coin, such as the coin 126, to pass to the coin-intercepting surface 70 that is within the passageway 58 and to move that coin-intercepting surface. As the coin passes out of engagement with the inclined portion 56 of the actuator, the actuator will tend to move back to the position shown in Fig. 3, and the reentrant portion 50 will tend to lodge in a change of surface 72. If a change of surface 72 is not in register with the reentrant portion 50 at the time the inclined portion 56 reenters the coin passageway, the end of the reentrant portion 50 will bear against the portionof the cam 64 between the two adjacent changes of surface 72, and will thereafter drop into the next succeeding change of surface '72 when that change of surface becomes in register with that reentrant portion 50. When another coin passes through the passageway 58, the inclined portion 56 of the actuator will again be moved out of the coin passageway 58, and the reentrant portion 50 will again be moved out of the path of the changes of surface '72. This will free the cam 64 for rotation by the coin as the coin strikes the coin-intercepting surface 70 that is then in the passageway. However, at this time the camming surface 68 will be adjacent the reentrant portion 50 of the actuator and will force that reentrant portion to ride up on that camming surface as the cam 64 rotates. The camming surface 68 is high enough to force the actuator into switch actuating position; that position being indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4. Once the cam 64 has been rotated sufficiently to let the reentrant portion 5% of the actuator drop off of the camming surface 68, that reentrant portion will drop into the next succeeding change of surface. This change of surface 72 is larger than the change of surface preceding the camming surface 68; and the increased size is desirable to avoid a lack of registry between the reentrant portion 56 and the proper opening 72. In the absence of this enlargement of opening, the reentrant portion might miss the opening 72 because it has a longer distance to travel from the high point of the camming surface 6% than it did when it merely rode along the portion of the cam between the openings 72 and then dropped into the openings 72 that preceded the camming surface 68. In moving from the position of Fig. 1 to the next position, the cam 64 would rotate approximately ninety degrees but would not move the actuator to switch actuating position. Only after a second coin had rotated the cam 64 an additional ninety degrees and had brought the camming surface 68 into engagement with the reentrant portion 50 of the actuator, would the switch 46 be actuated. In this way, the cam 64 and the actuator of the switch 46 counted two coins and provided one actuation for the switch 46.

It will be noted that the cam 64 has four coin-intercepting surfaces "iii and has two camming surfaces 68. Moreover, the coin-intercepting surfaces 76 and the camming surfaces 63 are so disposed that two coin-intercepting surfaces interve e between the camming surfaces 68. Hence, the cam 64 can coact with the. actuator of switch 46 to count two coins and apply one actuation to the switch. With this construction, the ratio of the actuations of the switch 46 to the number of coins passing through the passageway 58 is that of the camming surfaces 68 to the number of coin-intercepting surfaces 70 of the cam.

The earn 122 of Fig. 5 has three coin-intercepting surfaces 70, has three changes of surface 72, and has only one camming surface 68. This cam also has a hub 66 to telescope over and be supported by the pivot 62. The cam 122 will count three coins and provide one actuation of the switch 46 each time three coins are counted. The change of surface 72 immediately behind the camming surface 68 is again larger than the changes of surface that precede that camming surface.

The cam 124 of Fig. 6 has four coin-intercepting surfaces 70 and has four changes of surface 72, but has only one camming surface 68. The cam 124 has a hub 66 which can telescope over and be supported by the pivot 62. The cam 124 will count four coins in the passageway 58 and will apply one actuation to the switch 46 when those four coins have been counted. The change of surface 72 that succeeds the camming surface 68 is larger than the change of surface which precedes that camming surface. The other two changes of surface 72 could also be the same size as the change of surface which precedes the camming surface 68, but one of those changes of surface is actually larger because in production the cam 124 will preferably be formed by grinding ofi one of the camming surfaces of the cam 64.

An electro-responsive device 74, as for example an electromagnet, is mounted on the frame 10 behind the slug rejector 26. This electro-responsive device has an armature 76 and a spring '78 which biases the armature so the free end thereof normally is away from the core of the electro-responsive device. However, the electroresponsive device is strong enough to overcome the force of the spring 78 whenever that electro-responsive device is energized. A detent 80 is carried by the free end of the armature '76, and that detent will normally extend into a second passageway 81, shown by dashed lines, of the slug rejector 20. Whenever that detent is in that second passageway, it will halt further movement of coins through that second passageway and will deflect those coins toward the rejected coin chute. An arm 82 is also carried by the free end of the armature 76, and that arm bears against the actuator 92 of a switch 84. The switch 84 is comparable to the switch 46. The switch 84 is mounted on a bracket 85 which in turn is secured to the frame 16 by screws. The switch 34 has three tenninals 86, 88 and 9t and those terminals are respectively comparable to the terminals 86, 96 and 100 of the switch 68 in the second said application. The switch 84 normally connects the terminals 86 and 90 thereof together but will respond to energization of the electro-responsive device '74 to disconnect the terminals 86 and 90 and to connect together the terminals 86 and 88.

A switch 94 is disposed adjacent a continuation 83 of the second passageway 81 referred to above, and that switch is also comparable to the switch 46. The terminals 96 and 93 of the switch 94 are comparable to the terminals 45 and 47 of the switch 46. An actuator 100 is provided for the switch 94, and that actuator extends into the said continuation of the second passageway. A slot 102 is provided in the subframe 39 to permit full and free movement of the end of the actuator 100.

The coin separator and counting device of the present invention can be used with a number of different circuits, and two such circuits are shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In those circuits, the numeral 184 represents a male plug which can be inserted in a suitable female socket that is connected to a source of electric current. The numeral 106 denotes a master relay that has fixed contacts 108, 112 and 114 and has movable contacts and 116. The movable contacts 110 and 116 are normally in the positions shown in Figs. 8 and 9 but can be moved into engagement with the fixed contacts 108 and 114 whenever the master relay 106 is energized. A motor 118 for a vending machine or other device is controlled by the contacts of the master relay 106, and a delivery switch 120 of the vending machine or other device will be suitably actuated adjacent the end of the cycle of the vending machine or other device. The circuit of the vending machine or other device will be selectively connected to the circuit of the coin separator and counting device by a disconnect plug, and the position of the disconnect plug in the two circuits is indicated by crosses in Figs. 8 and 9. The switch 120 is biased to closed position, opens when engaged by the merchandise being dispensed, and returns to closed position as soon as the merchandise is moved out of engagement with that switch.

Referring to Fig. 8, the circuit of the vending machine or other device is normally deener-gized but the electroresponsive device 36 is normally energized. That device will therefore normally hold the movable portion 32 of the runway in the passageway. As a result, coins which pass through the slug rejector 20 to the cradle 22 can be delivered by the portions 32 and 28 of the runway to the accepted coin chute 58. One such coin will fall downwardly and engage the coin-intercepting surface 56 of the actuator for switch 46 and will move that inclined portion 56 out of the passageway 58. This will free the cam 64 and the coin will then strike the particular coinintercepting surface of that cam which is in the passageway 58. Thereupon the cam 64 will be advanced one step. However, the switch 46 will not be actuated since neither of the camming surfaces 68 has engaged and passed under the reentrant portion 50 of the actuator. A second coin delivered by the cradle 22 to the portions 32 and 28 of the runway will be directed to the accepted coin chute 58 and will engage the inclined portion 56 of the actuator. The inclined portion 56 will again be moved out of the passageway 58 and the cam 64 will again be freed to rotate. Thereupon the particular coinintercepting surface 70 of that cam will be struck by the coin and will cause the cam 64 to rotate one additional step. During this step the camming surface 68 will pass beneath the reentrant portion 50 of the actuator of switch 46 and will move that actuator far enough to actuate the contacts of the switch 46. At the end of each step in the rotation of the cam 64, the reentrant portion 50 of the actuator will reengage a change of surface 72 and will thus hold the cam 64 against over-shooting.

The closing of the switch 46 will be only momentary but it will energize the electro-responsive device 74 and cause the armature 76 thereof to act upon the actuator 92 of the switch 84. This will disconnect the terminals 86 and 90 and will connect the terminals 86 and 88 of the switch 84, whereupon a holding circuit will be established through the electro-responsive device 74 and the electro-responsive device 36 will be de-energized. The de-energization of the electro-responsive device 36 will permit the spring 40 to move the portion 32 of the runway out of the passageway, whereby succeeding coins will be unable to reach the stationary portion 28 of the runway but instead will fall directly to the rejected coin chute 42. The rejected coin chute 42 will direct those coins back to the person who inserted them and that person can then recover those additional coins. The circuit for the electro-responsive device 36 initially extended through the switch 84 and through the contacts 112 and 110 of the master relay 106 and then through the deli-very switch 120. The holding circuit for the electroresponsive device 74 will extend through the switch 84, through the contacts 112 and 110 of the master relay 106 and through the delivery switch 120. As long as the contacts 112 and 110 remain in engagement with each other, the electro-responsive device 74 will remain energized, and the electro-responsive device 36 will remain de-energized.

If a coin is inserted in the slug rejector 20 that is directed to the said second passageway, that coin will strike the actuator 100 and cause the switch 94 to connect terminals 96 and 98. Thereupon the master relay 106 will be energized and the movable contacts 110 and 116 will move into engagement with the fixed contacts 108 and 114 respectively. In moving from the fixed contact 112 to the fixed contact 108, the movable contact 110 8 interrupted the circuit to the electro-responsive device 74, and thereupon that device became de-energized. The deenergization of the electro-responsive device 74 permitted the actuator 92 of the switch 84 to return to its normal position and permitted that switch to reconnect terminals 86 and 90. However, the electro-responsive device 36 will not again be de-energized because the circuit to that electro-responsive device is broken between fixed contact 112 and movable contact of the master relay 106. The closing of the switch 94 is only momentary, but the master relay will remain energized because a holding circuit will be established through the delivery switch and the stationary contact 108 and the movable contact 110 of the master relay 106. The master relay 106 will then remain energized until the delivery switch 120 is opened adjacent the end of the cycle of the vending machine or other device. The motor 118 of the vending machine or other device will be energized when the master relay becomes energized because the movable contact 116 is moved into engagement and held in engagement with the fixed contact 114.

When the delivery switch 120 is opened at the end of the vending cycle, the holding circuit to the relay 106 will be broken and the relay 106 will become de-energized. Thereupon the movable contacts 110 and 116 will move to the position shown in Fig. 8, and thereupon the circuit to the electro-responsive device 36 will be closed,

and that electro-responsive device will be re-energized and will place the movable portion 32 of the runway back in the passageway. Insertion of the proper number of coins will once again actuate the switch 46 and de-energize the electro-responsive device 36 and re-energize the electro-responsive device 74. Insertion of the proper coin in the said second passageway will again actuate the switch 94 and start a further cycle of the vending machine or other device.

In some instances it may be desirable to maintain the movable portion 32 of the runway in the passageway at all times except when the vending machine or other device is tie-energized or there is a power failure. A circuit to provide this type of operation is shown in Fig. 9. It will be noted that the electro-responsive device 36 is no longer connected to the switch 84 'but instead is connected directly to the fixed contact 112 of the master relay 106. As a result, that electro-responsive device will be energized whenever power is applied to the vending machine or other device and the master relay 106 is tie-energized. The remaining parts of the circuit of Fig. 9 are comparable to and operate in the same way that the parts of the circuit of Fig. 8 operate.

With the coin separator and counting device provided by the present invention, it is possible for a vending machine or other device to automatically count two, three or four coins in the passageway 58 and to thereafter move the movable portion of the runway out of the coin passageway to prevent the acceptance of further coins. The counting device is simple but precise and will completely avoid any miscounting due to over-shooting.

Whereas the drawing and accompanying description have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the form of the invention without affecting the scope thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a coin handling device which has a plurality of passageways for coins, the combination of a passageway for coins, an opening at one end of said passageway for the introduction of coins into said passageway, a switch that is adjacent said passageway and that responds to the movement of coins through said passageway to shift the position of its contacts, a runway in said passageway to support coins, an element in said passageway that selectively permits or prevents the passage of coins through said passageway, said element being intermediate said opening and said switch, an electro-responsive element that can move the first said element, a second passageway for coins, a stop that is disposable within said second passageway to halt the movement of coins through said second passageway but is movable out of said second passageway to permit the movement of coins through said' second passageway, a second electro-responsive element that is energizable by said switch to move said stop, the first said electro-responsive clement holding the first said element in position to permit the passage of coins through the first said passageway whenever it is energized, and a second switch that normally energizes the first said electro-responsive element and that can have its contact shifted to de-energize the first said electroresponsive element and to energize said second electroresponsive element, said second switch being actuated to de-energize the first said electro-responsive element and said stop being movable out of said second passageway whenever said second elcctro-responsive element is energized.

2. In a coin handling device which has a plurality of passageways for coins, the combination of a passageway for coins, an opening at one end of said passageway for the introduction of coins into said passageway, a switch that is adjacent said passageway and that responds to the movement of coins through said passageway to shift the position of its contacts, a runway in said passageway to support coins, an element in said passageway that selectively permits or prevents the passage of coins through said passageway, said element being intermediate said opening and said switch, an electro-responsive element that can move the first said element, a second passageway for coins, a stop that is disposable within said second passageway to halt the movement of coins through said second passageway but is movable out of said second passageway to permit the movement of coins through said second passageway, a second electro-responsive element that is energizable by said switch to move said stop, the first said electro-responsive element holding the first said element in position to permit the passage of coins through the first said passageway whenever it is energized, and a second switch that normally energizes the first said electroresponsive element and that can have its contact shifted to de-energize the first said electro-responsive element and to energize said second electro-responsive element, said secand switch being actuated to de-energize the first said electro-responsive element and said stop being movable out of said second passageway whenever said second electro-responsive element is energized, said second switch and said second electro-responsive element being in a normally de-enengized holding circuit that is energized whenever the first said switch is actuated, whereby the first said element will be in position to prevent the passage of coins through the first said passageway and said stop will be out of said second passageway although the contacts of the first said switch realm to initial position.

3. In a coin handling device that has a plurality of passageways for coins, the combination of a passageway for coins, a runway in said passageway, an element in said passageway that selectively permits or prevents the passage of coins through said passageway, an electroresponsive element that can move said element, a coinactnated switch adjacent said passageway, a second passageway for coins, a stop that is movable into and out of said second passageway, a second electro-responsive element that can move said stop, said second electroresponsive element responding to actuation of said switch to become energized, and switch contacts that are actuated by said second electro-responsive element to deenergize the first said electro-responsive element, the first said element being biased to a position where it prevents the passage of coins through the first said passageway and being movable to a position where it permits the passage of coins through the first said passageway by the energization of the first said electro-responsive element, said stop being biased into said second passageway and being movable out of said second passageway by the energization of said second electro-responsive element, said first electro-responsive element acting whenever the circuit thereof is complete and power is applied to said coin handling device to hold the first said element in its passage-permitting position until the first said switch energizes said second electro-responsive element and thereby actuates said switch contacts, and said second electro-responsive element acting whenever the circuit thereof is complete and power is applied to said coin handling device to hold said stop out of said second passageway and to keep said switch contacts actuated, said electro-responsive elements acting whenever the power to said coin handling device is interrupted to permit the first said element to move to its passage-preventing posi- 4. A coin handling device which counts coins and" which has a passageway for coins, a switch adjacent said passageway, a pivot adjacent said passageway, a switchactuating cam that is adjacent said passageway and that is adjacent said switch, said cam being mounted on said pivot for rotation relative to said switch and to said passageway, and an element that normally blocks rotation of said cam in one direction and in the opposite direction, said element being movable by coins passing through said passageway to free said cam for rotation in said one direction, said cam having a camming surface thereon that is movable to actuate said switch and having a plurality of coin-intercepting surfaces thereon that successively extend into said passageway to intercept and be moved in said one direction by coins passing through said passageway, said coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam responding to the passage of coins through said passageway to move said camming surface of said cam and thereby actuate said switch and also to move the nextsucceeding coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam into said passageway, the ratio of the actuations of said switch to the number of coins passing through said passageway being that of the camming surface to the number of coinintercepting surfaces of said cam.

5. A coin handling device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said cam has three coin-intercepting surfaces thereon.

6. A coin handling device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said cam has four coin-intercepting surfaces thereon.

7. A coin handling device which counts coins and which has a passageway for coins, a switch adjacent said passageway, a pivot adjacent said passageway, a switchactuating cam that is adjacent said passageway and that is adjacent said switch, said cam being mounted on said pivot for rotation relative to said switch and to said passageway, and an element that normally blocks rotation of said cam in one direction and in the opposite direction, said element being movable by coins passing through said passageway to free said cam for rotation in said one direction, said cam having a camming surface thereon that is movable to actuate said switch, said cam having a second camming surface thereon that is movable to actuate said switch, said cam having a plurality of coinintercepting surfaces thereon that successively extend into said passageway to intercept and be moved in said one direction by coins passing through said passageway, said coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam responding to the passage of coins through said passageway to move said camming surfaces of said cam and thereby actuate said switch and also to move the next-succeeding coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam into said passageway, the ratio of the actuations of said switch to the number of coins passing through said passageway being that of the camming surfaces to the number of coin-intercepting sur faces of said cam.

8. A coin handling device which counts coins and which has a passageway for coins, a switch adjacent said 11 a passageway, a pivot adjacent said passageway, a switch actuating cam that is adjacent said passageway and that is adjacent said switch, said cam being mounted on said pivot for rotation relative to said switch and to said passageway, and an element that normally blocks rotation of said cam in one direction and in the opposite direction, said element being movable by coins passing through said passageway to free said cam'for rotation in said one direction, said cam having a camming surface thereon that is movable to actuate said switch, said cam having a second camming surface thereon that is movable to actuate said switch, said cam having a plurality of coin-intercepting surfaces thereon that successively extend into said passageway to intercept and be moved in said one direction by coins passing through said passageway, said coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam responding to the passage of coins through said passageway to move said camming surfaces of said cam and thereby actuate said switch and also to move the next-succeeding coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam into said passageway, the ratio of the actuations of said switch to the number of coins passing through said passageway being that of the camming surfaces to the number of coinintercepting surfaces of said cam, said cam having four coin-intercepting surfaces thereon, two of said coin-intercepting surfaces preceding the first said camming surface and the other two said coin-intercepting surfaces preceding said second camming surface.

9. A coin handling device which counts coins and which has a passageway for coins, a switch adjacent said passageway, a pivot adjacent said passageway, a switchactuating cam that is adjacent said passageway and that is adjacent said switch, said cam being mounted on said pivot for rotation relative to said switch and to said passageway, and an element that normally blocks rotation of said cam in one direction and in the opposite direction, said element being movable to free said cam for rotation in said one direction, said cam having a camming surface thereon that is movable to actuate said switch and having a plurality of coin-intercepting surfaces thereon that successively extend into said passageway to intercept and be moved in said one direction by coins passing through said passageway, said element engaging said cam to prevent overshooting of said cam as said cam is rotatedby the engagement of coins with said coin-intercepting surfaces, said coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam responding to the passage of coins through said passageway to move said camming surface of said cam and thereby actuate said switch and also to move the next-succeeding coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam into said passageway.

10. A coin handling device which counts coins and which has a passageway for coins, a switch adjacent said passageway, a pivot adjacent said passageway, a switchactuating cam that is adjacent said passageway and that is adjacent said switch, said cam being mounted on said pivot for rotation relative to said switch and to said passageway, and an element that normally blocks rotation of said cam in one direction and in the opposite direction, said element being movable to free said cam for rotation in said one direction, said cam having a camming surface thereon that is movable to actuate said switch and having a plurality of coin-intercepting surfaces thereon that successively extend into said passageway to intercept and be moved in said one direction by coins passing through said passageway, a change of surface adjacent each coin-intercepting surface of said cam, said element engaging said changes of surface to prevent overshooting of said cam as said cam is rotated by the engagement of coins with said coin-intercepting surfaces, said coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam responding to the passage of coins through said passageway to move said camming surface of said cam and thereby actuate said switch and also to move the next-succeeding coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam into said passageway.

11. A coin handling device which has a passageway for coins, a switch adjacent said passageway, a pivot adjacent said passageway, a switch-actuating cam that is adjacent said passageway and that is adjacent said switch and that is mounted on said pivot for uni-directional rotation, said cam having a camming surface thereon that is movable to actuate said switch and having a plurality of coin-intercepting surfaces thereon that selectively extend into said passageway to intercept and be moved by coins passing through said passageway, said coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam responding to the passage of coins through said passageway to move said camming surface of said cam and thereby actuate said switch, the ratio of the actuations of said switch to the number of coins passing through said passageway being that of the camming surface to the number of coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam, a change of surface adjacent each coin-intercepting surface of said cam, and a detent that is engageable with said changes of surface to prevent overshooting of said cam, said detent having a portion thereof that extends into said passageway in advance of said cam and that is movable out of said passageway by coins passing through said passageway, said detent engaging said changes of surface whenever said portion of said detent is in said passageway and being out of engagement with said changes of surface whenever said portion of said detent is moved out of said passageway.

12. A coin handling device which counts coins and which has a passageway for coins, a switch adjacent said passageway, a pivot adjacent said passageway, a switchactuating cam that is adjacent said passageway and that is adjacent said switch, said cam being mounted on said pivot for rotation relative to said switch and to said passageway, and an element that normally blocks rotation of said earn in one direction and in the opposite direction, said element being movable to free said cam for rotation in said one direction, said element being the actuator of said switch, said cam having a camming surface thereon that is movable to actuate said switch and having a plurality of coin-intercepting surfaces thereon that successively extend into said passageway to intercept and be moved in said one direction by coins passing through said passageway, said coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam responding to the passage of coins through said passageway to move said camming surface of said cam and thereby actuate said switch and also to move the next-succeeding coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam into said passageway.

13. A coin handling device which counts coins and which has a passageway for coins, a switch adjacent said passageway, a pivot adjacent said passageway, a switchactuating cam that is adjacent said passageway and that is adjacent said switch, said cam being mounted on said pivot for rotation relative to said switch and to said passageway, and an element that normally blocks rotation of said cam in one direction and in the opposite direction, said element being movable to free said cam for rotation in said one direction, said element being the actuator of said switch, said cam having a camming surface thereon that is movable to actuate said switch and having a plurality of coin-intercepting surfaces thereon that successively extend into said passageway to intercept and be moved in said one direction by coins passing through said passageway, a change of surface adjacent each coin-intercepting surface of said cam, said element engaging said changes of surface to prevent overshooting of said cam as said cam is rotated by the engagement of coins with said coin-intercepting surfaces, said coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam responding to the passage of coins through said passageway to move said camming surface of said cam and thereby actuate said switch and also to move the next-succeeding coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam into said passageway.

14. A coin handling device which counts coins and which has a passageway for coins, a switch adjacent said assaoao passageway, a pivot adjacent said passageway, a switchactuating cam that is adjacent said passageway and that is adjacent said switch, said cam being mounted on said pivot for rotation relative to said switch and to said passageway, and an element that normally blocks rotation of said cam in one direction and in the opposite direction, said element being movable to free said cam for rotation in said one direction, said cam having a camming surface thereon that is movable to actuate said switch and having a plurality of coin-intercepting surfaces thereon that successively extend into said passageway to intercept and be moved in said one direction by coins passing through said passageway, a change of surface adjacent each coin-intercepting surface of said cam, said element engaging said changes of surface to prevent overshooting of said cam as said cam is rotated by the engagement of coins with said coin-intercepting surfaces, said coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam responding to the passage of coins through said passageway to move said camming surface of said cam and thereby actuate said switch and also to move the next-succeeding coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam into said passageway.

15. A coin handling device which has a passageway for coins, a switch adjacent said passageway, a switchactuating cam adjacent said passageway and adjacent said switch, said cam having a camming surface thereon that is movable to actuate said switch and having a plurality of coin-intercepting surfaces thereon that selectively extend into said passageway to intercept and be moved by coins passing through said passageway, said coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam responding to the passage of coins through said passageway to move said camming surface of said cam and thereby actuate said switch, the ratio of the actuations of said switch to the number of coins passing through said passageway being that of the camming surface to the number of coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam, an opening adjacent each of said coin-intercepting surfaces and a switch actuator that has one portion disposable in said openings and has another portion disposable in said passageway, said other portion of said actuator being ahead of said coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam and being inclined so coins passing through said passageway can move said other portion of said actuator out of said passageway, said one portion of said actuator moving out of said openings in said cam whenever said other portion of said actuator is moved out of said passageway.

16. A coin handling device which has a passageway for coins, a switch adjacent said passageway, a switchactuating cam adjacent said passageway and adjacent said switch, said cam having a camming surface thereon that is movable to actuate said switch and having a plurality of coin-intercepting surfaces thereon that selectively extend into said passageway to intercept and be moved by coins passing through said passageway, said coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam responding to the passage of coins through said passageway to move said camming surface of said cam and thereby actuate said switch, the ratio of the actuations of said switch to the number of coins passing through said passageway being that of the camming surface to the number of coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam, a pivot for said cam, and an actuator for said switch that pivots about an axis transverse of said pivot for said cam, whereby said camming surface of said cam can readily rotate said actuator for said switch.

17. A coin handling device which has a passageway for coins, a switch adjacent said passageway, a switchactuating cam adjacent said passageway and adjacent said switch, said cam having a camming surface thereon that is movable to actuate said switch and having a plurality of coin-intercepting surfaces thereon that selectively extend into said passageway to intercept and be moved by coins passing through said passageway, said coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam responding to the passage of coins through said passageway to move said camming surface of said cam and thereby actuate said switch, the ratio of the actuations of said switch to the number of coins passing through said passageway being that of the camming surface to the number of coin-intercepting lI'ffiCCS of said cam, a change of surface adjacent each coin-intercepting surface of said cam, and a detent that is engageable with said changes of surface to prevent overshooting of said cam, said detent having a portion thereof that extends into said passageway in advance of said cam and that is movable out of said passageway by coins passing through said passageway, said detent engaging said changes of surface whenever said portion of said detent is in said passageway and being out of engagement with said changes of surface whenever said portion of said detent is moved out of said passageway, said camming surface on said cam moving said detent still further away from said changes of surface and passing beneath said detent.

18. A coin handling device which has a passageway for coins, a switch adjacent said passageway, a switchactuating cam adjacent said passageway and adjacent said switch, said cam having a camming surface thereon that is movable to actuate said switch and having a plurality of coin-intercepting surfaces thereon that selectively extend into said passageway to intercept and be moved by coins passing through said passageway, said coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam responding to the passage of coins through said passageway to move said camming surface of said cam and thereby actuate said switch, the ratio of the actuations of said switch to the number of coins passing through said passageway being that of the camming surface to the number of coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam, an opening adjacent each of said coin-intercepting surfaces and a switch actuator that has one portion disposable in said openings and has another portion disposable in said passageway, said other portion of said actuator being ahead of said coin-intercepting surfaces of said cam and being inclined so coins passing through said passageway can move said other portion of said actuator out of said passageway, said one portion of said actuator moving out of said openings in said cam whenever said other portion of said actuator is moved out of said passageway, said camming surface on said cam moving said one portion away from said openings in said cam and passing under said one portion of said actuator, said other portion of said actuator being spaced outwardly from said passageway whenever said camming surface of said cam passes under said one portion of said actuator.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 757,439 Conrad Apr. 19, 1904 1,017,082 Conrad Feb. 13, 1912 1,919,581 Webb July 25, 1933 2,251,073 Shann July 29, 1941 2,298,500 Mueller Oct. 13, 1942 2,327,154 Osborne Aug. 17, 1943 2,571,596 Meredith Oct. 16, 1951 2,572,539 Thompson Oct. 23, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 189,987 Switzerland June 1, 1937 276,215 Germany Sept. 4, 1913 

